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"   Question I have been suffering from lower back pain that seems to be brought on when I stand a lot, for example when I go shopping.  Moving, standing, carrying, I can guarantee a day at Ikea will put me in agony!  My orthopaedic surgeon sent me to the physiotherapist, having decided mechanical back pain was an appropriate diagnosis.  The physiotherapist says I have a divarication (stomach area) that may be contributing and also she has mentioned lordosis.  She now feels she is unable to get to the cause and has suggested acupuncture.  I&amp;#039;m at a loss to know where to go next.   Answer I am sorry to hear about all the troubles you are getting from your back.  You say that you have seen an orthopaedic surgeon, but unfortunately I do not know what investigations you have had done.  Mechanical back pain is a sort of &amp;#039;catch-all&amp;#039; diagnosis that is often made when all investigations have proved negative.  I imagine that you have had X-rays done. But these are often not very helpful in demonstrating the cause of the problem.  More specialised investigations such as CT scans or MRI scans often give a lot more information.  I think neither the lordosis, which is where the spine is quite straight, or a divarification of the abdominal muscles would be enough to explain the pain you are getting.  Acupuncture is something that some patients may find brings them relief, though there is no clear scientifically proven explanation for why it works.  If you are being offered it under the NHS then it is something you might consider, and it will do no harm.  However, if you are being asked to pay for it yourself, then I think you must be convinced that it will be worth the money before embarking on a course.   If you have not had a CT or MRI scan, then I think it would be quite reasonable to ask your orthopaedic surgeon about these investigations, because I don&amp;#039;t think he or she could be 100 per cent certain about the diagnosis without them. If you have already had these investigations, then you could ask your orthopaedic specialist about the possibility of facet joint injections. These are local anaesthetic and steroid injections into the areas of small joints in the spine that can help relieve mechanical back pain. The other thing you might try is a TENS machine. This stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator.  This is a little device that stimulates the nerves in the spine and blocks the sensation of pain. Some people find them very effective.  You should be able to get hold of one to try out, and if it is helpful, then you can buy them quite cheaply. Your physiotherapist might be the best person to ask about TENS. Back pain can be debilitating. You should persist in getting help and I hope you find it soon. Yours sincerely The NetDoctor Medical Team  Other Qs &amp;amp;amp; As Back pain and degenerative disks Could lower lumbar disease prevent me from walking? Disc slips How can I ease a painful back? It is painful to sit down I have a degenerated disk I need a cushion for my back pain My ankylosing spondylitis worsened after a car crash My grandmother had osteoporosis and I am woried about getting it also Pain in my coccyx after birth of fourth baby Pain near the coccyx Painful coccyx Prolapsed discs Spinal revision Spinal spondylosis Terrible backache on the base of my spine  Last updated 05.11.2014 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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